Hydraulic transport system of Tailings Dam ‘Benkovski 2’ – new
technological solutions regarding prolongation of the operational
lifetime and raise of the final filling contour of the hydraulic
structure
Authors:
eng. Stoil Dimitrov – ‘Ellatzite Med’
eng. Nikolai Evstatiev – ‘Geoproject’ LTD
eng. Georgi Boiadjiev – ‘Ellatzite Med’
‘Ellatzite Med’ is the biggest mining company in Bulgaria, processing
about 12 000 000 tons of ore per year. Waste materials, left after the
extraction of copper concentrate are deposited in tailings dam
‘Benkovski2’.
The hydraulic structure is built according to the Downstream method,
through hydrocyclonization where the downstream batter and the body of
the wall are formed by the separated coarse sand particles of the
separated tailings.
In connection with the prolonged concession of ‘Ellatzite Med’ and the
enlarged capacity of ‘Benkovski 2’, the tailings dam expands on new
neighboring terrains.
To guarantee a normal hydrocyclonization and build up of a tailings
wall during the waist deposit from the ore mill, a change in the
technological scheme of the hydraulic transport system of ‘Benkovski 2’,
has been made.
With the use of HDPE and steel pipes with inner rubber coating to
build up the pressure tailings pipelines can be achieved the following:
- Lowering the pressure losses by inserting hydraulically smoother
pipes;
- Raising the capacity of the hydraulic transport system and the final
work altitude of the hydraulic pipes of the tailings dam;
- Prolonging the operational lifetime of the tailings pipelines, while at
the same time reducing maintenance and repair work operational
expenses.